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What OFD is actually good at
OFD works with product teams that already have a clear product direction but need help turning early concepts or prototypes into manufacturable, scalable products. Their core strength is not sourcing individual parts or chasing the lowest quotes, but coordinating engineering, manufacturing, and supply-chain decisions so products can survive DFM (Design for Manufacturing), certification, and long-term production with best solutions.
Most of their work sits in the difficult middle stage where many hardware projects fail: after a prototype works, but before production is truly viable. This includes refining product definitions, managing DFM trade-offs, selecting and validating manufacturing partners, and co-developing across hardware, firmware, software, and co-ordinating across supply chain teams.
Who this service is a good fit for
This service makes sense if you are:
- A startup or SME building physical products (e.g. IoT, industrial, or smart devices)
- Past the innovation stage, with a working prototype or early engineering samples
- Preparing for DFM, certification, or initial production runs
- Selling into overseas markets such as Americas, Europe or Asia
- Lacking an in-house team deeply familiar with China’s manufacturing ecosystem
OFD’s typical clients are not looking for speed alone, but for control and predictability as products move toward production.
Who should not use this service
This is probably not a good fit if you are:
- Still exploring ideas without a stable product definition
- Primarily optimizing for the lowest possible cost but leave alone the quality
- Expecting factories to absorb design or engineering work for free
- Frequently changing specifications without understanding cost or schedule impact
- Treating manufacturing as a one-off, transactional activity
OFD is selective about engagements and generally avoids short-term, price-only projects.
What they do well and what they don’t try to do
What they’re strong at:
- Translating product intent into manufacturable constraints
- Identifying DFM and scaling risks before production
- Coordinating across CMs, component suppliers, and engineering teams
- Acting as a local execution partner for overseas teams
- Surfacing and solving hidden risks in yield, tooling, certification, and component lifecycle
What they’re not trying to be:
- A branding or marketing agency
- A factory or EMS themselves
- A low-cost prototyping shop for casual experiments
- A replacement for clear product ownership on the client side
Their role is closer to a local execution layer, not a vendor that simply “takes orders.”
How OFD thinks about common failure points
From OFD’s experience, many hardware projects do not fail at prototyping, but at DFM and scaling. Typical issues include prototypes that cannot be mass-produced, tooling rework, repeated certification cycles, yield problems, and cash-flow pressure caused by delayed production.
Their approach emphasizes early discipline: locking product definitions before sourcing, validating manufacturing capability rather than chasing low quotes, and treating coordination costs, language, time zones, engineering assumptions as real risks rather than overhead.
How I know this / why I’m comfortable recommending them
I’m comfortable recommending OFD because I’ve interviewed the founder in depth, followed their work over time, and have close contacts who have worked inside the company for several years. Their views on DFM, scaling risk, and supply-chain execution are consistent with patterns I’ve seen repeatedly in real hardware projects in Shenzhen.
Founder access (optional)
If you’re a founder exploring product co-development and unsure whether a service like this fits your situation, you can reach out to me first. I’m happy to help you think through the decision, and if it makes sense, make an introduction.
This is optional and not required to work with OFD.
Transparency note
I may collaborate with or receive compensation from service providers listed on this site. That does not determine whether they are included. Recommendations are based on observed fit, execution style, and long-term track record, not sponsorship.
Learn more
You can find more information about OFD and their work at ofdhq.com.